


WIP: The White Tower

by Lanna Michaels (lannamichaels)



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003), Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Abandoned WIP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-19
Updated: 2003-01-19
Packaged: 2017-10-17 08:00:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/174640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lannamichaels/pseuds/Lanna%20Michaels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Original notes:</p><p>End Part of one of my inprogress fics...because this part needed to be written NOW! and wouldn't listen when I told it "no". :(</p><hr/><p>Originally posted to Deadjournal.</p><p>This WIP will never be finished. Basically, it was your typical Aragorn/Boromir AU Happily Ever After, and Boromir outlives Aragorn.</p>
    </blockquote>





	WIP: The White Tower

**Author's Note:**

> Original notes:
> 
> End Part of one of my inprogress fics...because this part needed to be written NOW! and wouldn't listen when I told it "no". :(
> 
> * * *
> 
> Originally posted to Deadjournal.
> 
> This WIP will never be finished. Basically, it was your typical Aragorn/Boromir AU Happily Ever After, and Boromir outlives Aragorn.

_Come, poor babe.  
I have heard, but not believed,  
the spirits o' the dead  
May walk again. If such thing be, thy mother  
Appear'd to me last night, for ne'er was dream  
So like a waking. _  
-The Winter's Tale, by William Shakespeare

Legolas could sense the presence, though he could not see it. It permeated these walls, oozed from all the surfaces, nearly shouted at him at times. But only at night. Only when the dawn was about to break. He supposed that was how it had gone unnoticed for so long.

The presence puzzled him. Most memories stayed on for nefarious purposes, hoping to do someone harm. Hoping to someday grow tangible enough to be able to avenge some wrong. But this presence was anything but malicious. Legolas could not understand it. Why, then, had the shadow stayed on after death?

Legolas sighed. When the guards had asked him to investigate strange goings-on, he had never thought it would be something like this. "I do not know what it is, Tikorain," he told the guard standing by the door. "I know that it will do no harm, but naught more than that. There is nothing in my lore to explain this."

Tikorain nodded as if he had expected as much. "Shall we inform the king?"

Legolas' head came up from his examinations at that. "He does not know?"

"You misunderstand. Shall we tell King Eldarion that you have found nothing?"

"I would prefer to tell him myself." Legolas straightened. "Though you never told me how this came to your attention. Lord Boromir is a wonderful man, but I highly doubt something like this would catch his notice."

"It was because of Lord Boromir that we noticed it. The King ordered us to guard his chambers against the case that he should need something during the night, and we noticed that he slept noisily. But one night he made no noise at all. Concerned about his health, I and another guard entered to see that...presense wrapped around Lord Boromir. It was in the likeness of the old King and it glared at us where we stood, at the while nuzzling Lord Boromir's neck. Lord Boromir seemed to be able to feel it, for he relaxed from what we could only guess to be a nightmare, but while the likeness was gentle with the Lord Steward, it looked about the attack us. 'We mean him no harm, King of Gondor,' my companion whispered and the likeness seemed the relax. We made a hasty retreat and informed King Eldarion in the morning."

"I see. And has anyone thought to ask Boromir about it?"

"King Eldarion had not the heart to confront him. You are his friend of old, Lord Prince, you know how Lord Boromir is about the old King."

Which was probably the most respectful and circumspect way he had ever heard it adressed, Legolas thought. "I suppose that is wise, though I will have to speak with your Steward in order to truly understand this. Have you seen this presence again?"

"Yes, your highness. The next night, King Eldarion wished to see the image of his father for himself, so when the noise failed outside Lord Boromir's chamber, we entered. The image was there again, in the same form and position as before, spooning the Lord Steward and kissing his jaw. The king tried to adress the image, but it would not speak. It appeared to ignore us alltogether, instead focusing all its attentions on the Steward. Though he tried, the King could not raise it. The King would not leave until there seemed a danger of waking Lord Boromir, and then only reluctantly."

Legolas walked over to the bedspread and ran his fingers over it lightly. A definite presence, but he could not tell if it was truly Aragorn or no. He would have to speak with Boromir, then. A duty which was he not looking forward to performing.

 

Lord Boromir was where he usually was at this hour of the morning: trying to make his way down to breakfast. As usual, his guards were asking him to stay in his room, to have food brought up, but Boromir was too proud for that. Legolas smiled at the sight. Even frail with age and fatigued from grief, Boromir was still able to scare off a company of guards.

"Good morning, Boromir. I trust you slept well."

Boromir's head came up with that and he moved to embrace his friend. "Legolas! I had not heard that you were visiting. Damn you, but you look exactly the same. Why can't you elves ever age? You make me feel old."

"Well, I would endeavor to change my appearance, but I don't think it would go over well."

"Too true, I suppose. Well, then, Legolas, have you eaten? These bullies," he guestured to his guards, "would have you think I can no longer do things on my own. If I let them, they would treat me like a child, needing feeding, and changing, and constant attention." Boromir snorted. "Like I couldn't whip them still with my sword."

"I would advise you not to do so, my friend."

"Yes, you're probably right. But come. Tell me why you're in Minas Tirith. When did you arrive, and whatfor?"

"Let me first conduct you to breakfast," Legolas said, with an understanding look at the exasperated guardsmen, "and I shall tell you all."

"Bully," Boromir said, but let himself be led to the dining hall, "and to think I saved your life."

"I will never dispute that fact, old friend. But you need to keep your strength up." What would Aragorn say, he wanted to add, but didn't know how Boromir would take it.

"As do you. What were you been eating on your journey? _Lembas_?"

"You know me too well."

"A curse of old age. Come, dear prince. You're eating, too."

"As the Steward commands."

Boromir only sighed at that and let himself be moved onto the hall's dias. Plates were immediatly set down for him and Legolas, with several banquet dishes appearing before them as if by magic. "Tell me of your journey. How is Gimli? Did he come along?"

"No, Gimli stayed in Ithilien. I intended this visit to be only a quick one, and there was no reason to convince him onto a horse for a few day's trip. As to his wellbeing, he could be better. I intend to take him with me when I sail, though I haven't told him yet. I can't bear to lose him."

Boromir took Legolas' hand in his. "Gimli knows how you feel. Trust me. You won't face what I have had to. Aragorn bid me live. How I wish he hadn't."

"He trusted you to set Eldarion on the right path. He would not give that trust to anyone else. It was a testament to his love that he begged you to live without him, if only for a little while."

"I should have died first," Boromir insisted. "After all, his line is stronger than mine. None of my sires in recent years have passed the one hundred year mark. My brother is long in the grave, and his oldest son with him. Don't think me oblivious, I know Aragorn beseached the Valar for extra years on my life. But why did he have to end before I did?"

Legolas patted his hand in reassurance, but had nothing to say to that. He could only offer comfort, and think to the cold time when *he* would have to live without his love.

"But now is not a time for morbidity," Boromir said with forced cheer. "You were telling me of your journey."

"It lasted three days on horseback. I came at no summons, but I felt a longing to see you one last time before I set sail. I arrived late yesterday afternoon but by the time I was refreshed, I was told you had already retired."

"I find myself retiring earlier and earlier each day. It is strange. I have never felt such peace in my life as I do upon arising each day. My dreams have been pleasant of late. They were not such when Aragorn died, or for some time thereafter. But I like to think that wherever Aragorn is, wherever men go after death, he is sending me good dreams to help me through the nights. I could never sleep well but in his arms," Boromir smiled whistfully, "and sometimes I dream that I am there still. You know, Legolas, Aragorn was a wonderful man. Probably the most perfect man I have ever met. But he had no patience. I worry that if I do not hurry up and die already, Aragorn will tire of waiting and come look for me!"

He didn't know how true that was. "I think that if Aragorn does go looking for you," Legolas said carefully, "then he would be happy to see you as you are now. He would be happy to see you smiling."

"I miss him, Legolas. Every breath I take, I miss him. Every time I go down the stairs, and see that huge painting of his coronation...I find I'm beginning to forget things. Little things. Like how his hair would never quite stay, or the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed. Legolas. I don't want to forget."

"You won't. I guarantee that."

"Now you're being condescending."

"Not at all. Boromir, I have lost many friends in my long life. Yes, at the beginning, you do begin to forget, but over time, you find yourself remembering more and more about them. Special times, phrases they liked, things like that."

"Like Aragorn's obsession with _athelas_?"

"He thought it could cure everything," Legolas laughingly agreed. "Or his 'special' way for cleaning his sword."

"Yes, first a rub, then a polish, rub, polish, and then four short rubs. How ever did he get started on that?"

"A joke of the twins. They told him it would bring him luck."

"Did it?"

"Aragorn was always the type to make his own luck. I don't suppose he ever noticed if it did."

"Yes," Boromir sighed. "Ai, Legolas, I miss him so much."

"You'll be with him soon," Legolas patted Boromir's hand again. "You'll be with him soon."


End file.
